Marble Mountain officials expect to have hill open Friday

GERALDINE BROPHY/THE WESTERN STAR<br />The base of Marble Mountain could be used to turn the facility into a four-season resort.

Outside crews at Marble Mountain have been working around the clock to prepare the mountain for safe riding conditions at the Steady Brook ski resort.

Marble Mountain general manager Melissa Dwyer is hopeful the hill will be open Friday at 9 a.m. with the magic carpets, Newfie Bullet and the Lightning Express in operation.

Dwyer said the hill was closed Wednesday because there was a lot of ice on the mountain after a heavy rainfall hit the west coast one day earlier.

“It essentially turned to ice so it was unsafe for skiing and riding today, but the crews have been spending most of the day grooming it out and it should be ready for tomorrow morning,” Dwyer said Thursday afternoon.

She said the snowguns are going full tilt on the top of the mountain and they would be firing all night long to ensure everything is done to get the hill open.

The weather hasn’t been co-operating with the rain and high winds in recent weeks, but Dwyer is optimistic that there should be a base for skiing with a batch of snowing fall on the west coast Thursday.

“I don’t predict it being too icy tomorrow, but at this point in time it will be unknown until we’re able to assess,” she said.